


Weak Backbone, Strong Convictions

by wickedlydevious



Series: Strong Heart series [2]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Billy Hargrove Lives, Everybody Lives, Fix-It, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Post-Season/Series 03, Post-Season/Series 03 Fix-It
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-03
Updated: 2019-12-03
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:20:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21652894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wickedlydevious/pseuds/wickedlydevious
Summary: After the events at Starcourt Mall, Steve starts bringing Max to visit Billy at the hospital.And then Steve starts visiting on his own.
Relationships: Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington
Series: Strong Heart series [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1560931
Comments: 16
Kudos: 207





	Weak Backbone, Strong Convictions

**Author's Note:**

> Part two of the Strong Heart series! Make sure you read part one first.  
> I was so blown away by all the support for the first part so I really hope you guys like this one too! It takes place at the same time as the first, but this time from Steve's pov.  
> You can find me on tumblr at [wickedlydevious](https://wickedlydevious.tumblr.com/)  
> (I am not a medical professional so please don't expect things to be medically accurate.)

Steve had just put the Beamer in reverse and was about to pull out of the driveway of the Wheelers’ house after dropping Dustin off when he saw Max run out the front door. She was heading towards him, so he quickly put the car in park and then climbed out when he saw the look on her face. After learning about the Upside Down, his mind always jumped straight into panic mode when there was something even slightly wrong.

“What-” before he could ask her what was going on Max stopped in front of him and interrupted.

“Billy woke up on Saturday,” she forced out, her voice thick like she was trying not to cry.

“Yeah, I know.”

Steve had heard the news on Tuesday when Hopper had stopped by the Family Video to return some videos El had rented over the weekend. Hopper had also mentioned that he was on his way to the hospital to fill Hargrove in on everything that was going on. Steve didn’t envy him that task.

“It’s Thursday,” Max said.

“Yes?” Steve was pretty sure he was missing something here.

“No one will take me to see him! Mom keeps saying “maybe tomorrow” and then tomorrow comes and she has some bullshit excuse to not go!” Max took a few, hitching, deep breaths. “Can you take me? Tomorrow? Please? It was bad enough no one would take me when he was in a coma but now he’s awake. Please, Steve.”

Steve shocked that Max hadn’t been to visit her brother. She had been a mess after everything at Starcourt, which had been a little confusing for everyone. They had all thought Max and Billy hated each other’s guts, but she insisted that he was getting better and defended him fiercely when anyone said anything bad about him. Steve was fairly sure she even gave Mike a black eye a couple of weeks ago, but he wasn’t positive because none of the kids would tell him what had happened.

“Of course, Max, yeah. Shit, if I knew no one was taking you I would have offered you a ride ages ago. I’ve got work until three tomorrow, so is it okay if I pick you up after that?”

Max nodded and after a slight hesitation, she threw herself forward and gave him a tight but brief hug before running back inside.

~~~

The ride to the hospital was quiet. Max was visibly upset and nervous, and Steve didn’t really know how to comfort her. They weren’t as close as he was with the other kids, so that wasn’t exactly helping.

When they pulled into a parking spot Steve cut the engine, but stopped Max from getting out of the car just yet.

“Listen,” shit, he didn’t really know how to put this, “Billy probably isn’t going to look… great. What happened was bad, Max, and I just want you to be prepared. There’s probably going to be a lot of bandages and scars. Lots of things hooked up to him and monitors. He’s probably going to be really weak and tired too, so he might not be able to talk for very long.”

Max didn’t say anything, but she nodded her head and that was good enough for Steve. They got out of the car and headed inside.

~~~

Fuck. It was so much worse than Steve thought it would be. Fuck.

He had intended to go in with Max, say “hi” to Billy and ask him if he needed anything but... fuck. When Steve had looked up from where he stood in the doorway and saw him…

Billy had been lying motionless in the bed. He had a beard growing since he couldn’t exactly shave while in a coma. His hands had been completely wrapped up. He was so pale and thin, nothing like the tan and muscular guy Steve had last seen at the mall. And that thing on his face, that he knew was holding a tube down Billy’s throat.

Fuck.

Just that brief glimpse and Steve knew he couldn’t go in that room. So he went and sat in the waiting room down the hall, hands shaking and trying to control his breathing.

He was a coward for leaving Max to deal with that alone, wasn’t he?

_Fuck._

Steve had no idea how much time passed before he heard the squeak of sneakers running down the hall, and looked up to see Max heading towards him. He stood up and caught her as she threw herself at him and clung on tightly. He rubbed her back as she sobbed into his shirt.

~~~

Steve made sure he took Max to see Billy at least twice a week.

It was a couple of weeks after that started that Max broke the usual quiet of their rides when they were on their way back from the hospital.

“I don’t think anyone else has been to visit him.”

“What makes you say that?” Steve asked, looking at her from the corner of his eye.

“I asked his main nurse, Cindy. She said I’m the only one she’s ever seen.”

And the thought of that was… crushing, honestly.

No one should be stuck in a hospital alone. Especially after saving everyone. And, yeah, Billy had been a giant dick, but Max swears he was getting better.

As they continued the drive Steve thought about bringing El to visit Billy. The problem was that El was crazy busy trying to cram years worth of education into just a few more weeks; she was determined to go to school with everyone this year. Steve also figured Billy would have a lot of questions for her and maybe bringing her in when he couldn’t talk would be cruel.

So that’s how the next day Steve was standing outside the door to Billy’s room and trying to psych himself up.

“Okay, you can do this,” he whispered to himself. “Just don’t stare. Don’t say anything stupid. And for the love of god, please don’t cry.”

With one last deep, calming breath, Steve walked into the room.

Billy was in the bed, apparently watching _Days of Our Lives_ , but Steve thought better than to comment on that. He shut the door behind him when Billy looked over and then went and sat in the chair next to the bed.

Shit, this was already so awkward. He took more breaths and swallowed hard.

“Hey.”

_“Really that’s the best you could do? Come on, Harrington! Idiot!”_ he cursed at himself mentally. And then he saw the look on Billy’s face basically calling him an idiot too because how the hell was he supposed to respond to that, he had a thing shoved down his throat.

Steve looked over at the IV bag and shifted uncomfortably.

“I just wanted to thank you. For saving El. And everyone, really,” his eyes shifted down to his fidgeting hands as he spoke. “I know you probably don’t want to talk about it. Or, uh, I guess hear about it,” he added, “Or even think about it. But I just had to say it.”

It was important that Billy knew how thankful Steve was. How thankful everyone was really, but right now this was just for Steve. He would make sure everyone thanked Billy at some point later.

He should probably change the subject; he’s sure Billy is desperate to not have to think about everything that happened. Steve forced himself to look up and meet Billy’s eyes and his brain seemed to get stuck. Billy’s eyes were such a striking blue, had he ever noticed that before?

He quickly shook the thought off and continued with what he was going to say, “So now that the mall is gone, I lost my job at Scoops Ahoy. My friend, Robin, and I got new jobs at the Family Video and it’s pretty cool. Better than Scoops Ahoy, that’s for sure. I mean I don’t have to wear that dumb sailors outfit anymore,” he laughed.

Steve talked about anything he could think of while Billy just laid there, watching and listening to him. It was about two hours after he got there that Billy finally closed his eyes and fell asleep. His blinks had been getting longer and longer, so Steve had slowly been lowering his voice. He thought his voice was maybe helping lull Billy to sleep, which, honestly, made him feel kind of special.

When he knew Billy was asleep for good he stopped talking and just sat back and watched the blond.

How had their lives ended up like this? For over a year, Steve has been a constant ball of anxiety and stress. He was always worried about everyone's safety and health. He jumped at sudden movements and sounds. He’s barely been able to sleep for more than a couple of hours at a time. And Billy didn’t deserve this, even if he was a giant douche and had beaten the shit out of him less than a year ago.

Steve folded his arms on the side of the bed next to Billy’s thigh and put his head down on them. He just needed to breathe for a bit, to calm down, then he would head out and let Billy sleep in peace.

The next thing he knew, a nurse was gently shaking him awake and telling him visiting hours were over. He got up and headed out, only pausing for a moment to make sure Billy was still there. Still alive.

~~~

When Steve brought Max to see her stepbrother two days later, he still didn’t go in with her. He didn’t know why, but he wanted to keep things separate. He also didn’t tell Max that he visited the other day. He’s not really sure why he didn’t mention it.

On the way home, Max told him that Billy got the bandages off his hands. She didn’t say anything else about it though. That wasn’t exactly encouraging.

~~~

Steve had off of work the next day and he decided to go see Billy. He’d be lying if he said it wasn’t at least partially because he was curious about seeing his hands, but mainly it was just because he was bored and he knew Billy had to be too.

He stood by the side of the bed, looking down at Billy’s hands resting by his side. He knew Billy was watching him, looking for how Steve was going to react. So Steve took a couple of shaky breaths before sitting down in the chair and pointedly moving on.

“There’s this lady that started coming in three weeks ago and she only rents _Splash_. She comes in on Fridays and that’s all she gets. Doesn’t even get candy or anything. And then returns it on Monday. Then she comes back on Friday to do it all over again. Honestly, it’s kinda creepy.”

From the look in his eyes, Steve is pretty sure Billy is thankful.

~~~

They all get into a bit of a routine after that. Steve brings Max a couple of times a week and Steve visits on his days off of work.

He still never goes in with Max, and still never mentions that he visits on his own, but he thinks she knows somehow. Maybe nurse Cindy told her. Maybe she noticed the chair is in a different spot when she gets there now.

He’s strangely thankful she doesn’t bring it up.

~~~

Steve is trying not to wince as he watches Billy struggle to hold the red jumbo crayon as he scribbles on the paper. It was an improvement for sure, not too long ago he couldn’t even change the channel on the TV with the remote, but still, it had to be frustrating for him.

“So I was trying to think of what to suggest. Like, do I go with something similar to _Splash_ or do I go totally different like _Gremlins_ or _Indiana Jones_?” he asked, bringing up the old lady at the Family Video that still kept coming every week and still creeped him out.

With the hand not holding the crayon, Billy held out two fingers.

“Two? So second option. _Gremlins_?”

Steve was kind of surprised they had come up with a way to talk to each other without even really planning it. As soon as Billy was able to move his fingers he had started making gestures and Steve just sort of _got it_. It made his chest kind of flutter at how easily they seemed to mesh when they weren’t trying to attack each other.

Billy pointed up to the ceiling and that one took a bit for Steve to understand.

“ _Gremlins_ but up? But more? Oh! Scarier!” he laughed. “What like _Halloween_? I might get fired if I suggest a movie and an old lady gets a heart attack while watching it, Hargrove.”

Steve could tell Billy was smiling under the thing on his face and he quickly looked back down at the paper he was drawing on to stop the blush warming his face. That didn’t work out too well when he noticed he had drawn a couple of hearts. Shit. He quickly scribbled over them.

When Steve leaves a couple of hours later, he stops by the nursing station and asks Cindy about other ways to help Billy with his physical therapy.

~~~

Steve starts to bring in things for Billy and him to do that can help with getting Billy’s hands back in shape. It started off with simple things, things the blond would have to hold and pick up, like cards and dominoes. Then Steve started bringing more advanced stuff, like Battleship (those little pegs hadn’t been easy for Billy, but he had managed) and Operation (that hadn’t gone great, Steve should have known better). He always made sure he had an excuse as to why he brought the stuff. He was pretty sure if he told Billy it was to help with his hands he’d get the things thrown in his face.

Today Steve is sitting on the bed again, but this time he’s sitting facing the same way as Billy because they’re watching _Jaws_ on the TV mounted up in the corner of the room. They both have a handful of Play-Doh that Steve brought with him. It was something Cindy had suggested, but he covered that by telling Billy they were thinking about selling it at the store and he had to test it. He’s pretty sure Billy bought it.

Steve is trying to make a shark with his ball of pink Play-Doh but it’s looking more like an alligator somehow. What was he doing wrong?

He looked over to see what Billy was making and his face instantly got hot.

“ _Billy_!” he hissed.

Billy’s shoulders started to shake and Steve could definitely see the smile on his face. The asshole was laughing!

Before Steve could say anything, the door to the room opened and Steve whipped his head around to see Cindy walking in, a sweet and innocent smile on her face.

Quick as a flash, Steve slammed his hand down on the tray, squishing the erect cock and balls Billy had made out of his green Play-Doh.

Cindy paused in the doorway, looking back and forth from Steve’s red face and Billy’s shaking shoulders.

“Am I interrupting something, boys?”

“Nope!” Steve says quickly and too loud. “We’re just watching _Jaws_.”

“Mm-hm,” Cindy replies as she makes he way over to check on the monitors attached to Billy and write some things down in the chart in her hands.

With her back to them, Billy starts making another dick. Steve notices just as Cindy is starting to turn around and, panicking, he grabs Billy’s hand.

“Alright, boys, you have fun. Don’t cause too much trouble,” Cindy admonishes as she heads back out of the room.

Steve follows her with a smile from his spot on the bed, but as soon as the door shuts he turns a glare on Billy.

“I can’t believe you! You little shit!” he tries to remain firm, but there’s a smile threatening to break through and he knows Billy can tell.

The smile on Billy’s face behind the thing holding the tube down his throat changes before he looks back up at the TV. Steve is confused at first, until he feels a thumb softly start rubbing the back of his hand and he realizes he hadn’t let go after grabbing Billy’s hand.

Steve’s eyes go wide and he swallows hard. He could probably pull his hand away and they could pretend this never happened. But...

But Billy’s holding his hand back, and his fingers are soft and hesitant as they rub against him. Billy won't look at him and Steve knows it’s because he’s nervous. Scared. Just like Steve is.

So what if… what if he allows it? What if he adjusts their hands, ignoring the way Billy stiffens when Steve disentangles their hands but relaxes even more than before when Steve slots their fingers together and pressed their palms together? What if he starts to rub his thumb over Billy’s hand too?

Steve takes a slow, shaky breath in and out and tries to focus back on the movie.

~~~

Billy had fallen asleep with Steve’s hand still clasped in his and, as cowardly as it was, Steve was glad he could slip out the door without having to awkwardly acknowledge he was just holding hands with a guy who beat the shit out of him less than a year ago.

But things definitely had changed between them. They don’t hold hands again, but there’s more touching.

Their fingers will brush against each other when passing things between them. Steve will grab Billy’s arm or leg when he laughs at something Billy does. Billy will gently punch or slap wherever he can reach when Steve teases him.

There are looks now too.

Steve will catch Billy looking at him with something soft in his eyes when Steve laughs.

And Steve can’t help but look on fondly when Billy finally manages to do something he had been struggling with.

And when they catch each other looking they don’t immediately look away. There are moments now, when they just look at each other and there’s something there, something so wonderful and terrifying and Steve doesn’t know what to do about it.

~~~

It was later in the afternoon than Steve would normally visit and he didn’t think Billy was expecting him, but he had a shitty day at work and he just wanted to sit and watch TV with him.

Steve waved to Cindy when he walked past the nursing station and was confused by the brighter than usual smile she gave him. Whatever, maybe she was having a really good day. Or maybe his day was so bad that any smile seemed weirdly big.

He made his way to Billy’s door and lightly knocked before walking in.

Steve looked over to the bed and froze as the door swinging shut behind him.

“Hey, pretty boy,” came the weak, crackling voice.

And Steve gets to see Billy’s smile without that stupid fucking tube in the way. He feels a grin, bright and big, break out on his own face.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it! I ended up writing more stuff than I did with Billy so maybe one day I'll go back and add stuff to his. Like the whole hand holding thing :)  
> I have plans for at least one more part in the series, this one taking place after both of these. If there's anything you'd like to see be sure to let me know either on here or my [tumblr](https://wickedlydevious.tumblr.com/) <3


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